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Wedge shakes up lineup against Angels' Wilson

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Bay goes deep 0:51

5/12/13: Jason Bay drills a solo home run to straightaway center field to increase the Mariners' lead to 6-1 in the seventh

By Greg Johns
/
MLB.com |

ANAHEIM -- Manager Eric Wedge moved some pieces around in his lineup Wednesday in an effort to get a new look against Angels southpaw C.J. Wilson and change things up in the face of a five-game losing streak that hit bottom with Tuesday's 12-0 loss to the Halos.

Left fielder Jason Bay moved into the leadoff spot for just the second time in his career, the first coming April 26 against the Angels when he went 1-for-4 in a 6-3 loss at Safeco Field.

Michael Saunders, who has hit just .125 (4-for-32) while leading off on the road trip, dropped into the No. 2 spot. And with Kyle Seager getting his first day off after starting 29 games in a row, Michael Morse was hitting third for the first time this year after spending 31 games batting cleanup and then the past eight games hitting fifth.

"Just shaking it up against the left-hander and giving the guys a different look," Wedge said. "Every now and again I think you need to do that. And we're giving Kyle a much-needed day off. I'm trying to domino that with an off-day [Thursday], too."

Wedge said Saunders has been trying to do too much at the plate recently and needs to get back to the approach that had him hitting .286 coming into this road trip. That number has fallen to .235.

"I don't think it's fatigue," Wedge said. "I think he's expanded the zone a little from time to time. When he stays within his zone, he does damage. I think he's just expanded his zone, trying to do a little too much. We're at our best when these guys are willing and able to set the bat down and take a walk and let the next guy get a shot at it. When they try to do too much or get a little greedy up there, that's when you get in trouble."

As for Morse in the three-hole?

"He's had some success against Wilson and I wanted to give our guys a different look and give them a different look, too," Wedge said. "Rework the dynamics with him and [Morales] and see how it plays out. We'll get him up there in the first inning and see what happens."